He’s waiting outside the door for me when I walk up.He’s stopped getting a table because he says it’s rude to take a table from someone else when he has to sit around and wait for me to arrive.I find this whole thing comical because up until just recently he was the most self-absorbed person I knew.He couldn’t have given a shit about anything but hooking up with girls and working out.
“I’m starving,” I whine, as he holds the door open for me and I walk in.
The hostess greets us with a smile and brings us right over to our usual table.The table that she pretty much reserves for us despite Dylan’s complaints about not being seated until we both arrive.We’ve been doing this since we graduated from college as a way to make sure we see each other regularly.Otherwise, work and life get in the way, and we’d go months without seeing each other.
“How’s work going?”Dylan asks, like he doesn’t already know it’s a nightmare.
“It’s awful.Like the worst experience of my life,” I wail, sounding far too dramatic.“When are you going to get me a job at Somerville’s?”I now ask, pleading with him to help me get my ass out of this situation.Not that I need his help, but it would be nice to have an in somewhere.I should probably just put myself out there and hope no one asks why I’m leaving The Yellow Door after only three months.I could even just leave it off my resume altogether, like I did when I gave Dylan my resume for Somerville’s.
“There’s an opening at Somerville’s,” he says, enthusiastically.“I’ve been talking you up, but here’s the thing, it’s probably a step down from where you are now, Hannah.It’s a sous chef position at a smaller restaurant.You sure you want to take a possible pay cut and work at a place that doesn’t hold the same prestige?”
“Fuck yes, I do,” I hiss, my words low, but the intensity high.“Not everyone is independently wealthy like you and can choose to work a low-stress job just for the fun of it.”
“I’ve told you before, I’m happy to loan you some money so you can start up your own restaurant,” Dylan adds, and as much as I’d love to take him up on his offer, I also know the failure rate of new restaurants.
“Just work on your boss to hire me at Somerville’s.”
“I think it’s the head chef Leo, who is in charge of hiring for the restaurants,” Dylan says, like I give a shit who it is.I just need a damn job.I don’t care who hires me.
“Whoever it is, tell them I’m amazing.”
Chapter Two
Leo
It’s been a month since I fired Gina for stealing and about a week since I finally reached my breaking point, realizing we really need to get another sous chef in before the rest of my staff walk out in protest.It’s not that they are lazy or anything, it’s just that business at Apple Jacks has been rapidly increasing and most weekends the restaurant is fully booked, with decent traffic throughout the week as well.The restaurant over at Somerville’s is no different and will only get busier with the planned renovations starting soon.I’ve been trying to coordinate kitchen staff between the two places for weeks now and it’s starting to get to be too much for everyone.
It’s definitely time for a new chef.Probably a couple to be honest.
“Yo, dude, can we get some lunch?”Dylan yells from somewhere across the kitchen.
“Um, yeah, sure,” I say, not looking up.“Check in with um…” I trail off, waving my pen in the general direction of the prep station, hoping there’s someone there who can take care of this for him.
“Leo, dude, what’s going on?”
I look up to find Dylan standing on the other side of the steel counter from me, a goofy grin on his face, because he’s a loved up fool these days who can’t seem to keep the smile off his face or his hands or mouth off his girl.
“What?”
Dylan laughs, shaking his head a little.“You’re blowing me and my baby mama off and telling someone else to make our lunch, what gives?”
Oh yeah, he’s also gonna be a dad, which is making him even more nauseating to be around because that’s made him even more loved up than usual.The cheeky fucker has certainly landed on his feet since starting here.
“Sorry,” I say, biting the end of my pen as my eyes drop back to the resumés I am once again going over in the hopes that I can find someone to replace Gina.“Got interviews this afternoon and I’m just trying to figure out who I’m hiring.”
“Easy, Hannah,” he says, pushing the papers in front of me to the side as though the decision is now made.
I look back up.“Yeah, I know she’s your sister and all, but I’m not just hiring anybody, okay.After the last chef, I need someone who’s reliable and good in the kitchen.No offense or anything.”
Dylan’s brow narrows.“Look, I asked you not to do me any favors, right, and I meant it.But seriously, Hannah is an amazing chef and she’s willing to take a pay cut if she has to.I mean I have no idea if she’d have to but anyway.Give her a chance, dude, she’s been working at all these amazing places in San Francisco, and you loved that dessert of hers I brought in last week, right?Fuck, Tessa can’t get enough of Han’s chocolate mousse.”
I smirk at him.“Okay, your girl is knocked up, so she’s probably got chocolate cravings or whatever, so—”
“Actually,” he says, cutting me off with a grin.“If anything, she’s got dick cravings.It’s fucking fantastic.”
I roll my eyes at him.“First, I so didnotneed to know that.But second, why’s she willing to take the possible pay cut and what’s she been doing these last few months?There’s a gap in her resume?”I point my pen at her list of previous occupations, indicating the blank space in work for the past few months.
Dylan shrugs.“I don’t know.She is working though, but it’s for this total dick apparently.Maybe she doesn’t trust him to give her a good reference or something.But seriously, Leo, you know I wouldn’t fuck around with this.You can trust her, she’s my sister.”
